Mortal Peril
by Nykole Flame
Summary: Harry Potter is in love. In fact, most of the gang is. But will a special Malfoy plot mess things up for th year? Will a secret Orb be the end of all good at Hogwarts? But Notes: new character/HP, new character/HrG, new character/RW
1. Diagon Alley and The Moroses

Note: Everything here belongs to J.K. Rowling except for the characters Belynn, Caspian, Matthias, Jasia, Anjy, Mimi and Carynn and the three shops (Bene, Magickal Teas & Fruits, Morose) and the Orb of Deceit.  
  
Mortal Peril  
  
I: Diagon Alley and The Moroses  
  
Harry Potter was sick of his summer job. This was likely the reason he was so happy to see the holidays over. He could return to Hogwarts for his seventh year and have an exciting school year instead of spending steamy days on Diagon Alley in a shop called Bene, which sold expensive French robes for women. He could now decipher any fabric, color, fit and style. Harry smiled as he folded the last few and tucked them neatly onto the shelf. Then, he remembered his plan. He chose what he thought was prettiest, a pale mossy green robe that was sheer and embroidered at the trim. Due to its revealing fabric, it was sold with a short, spaghetti- strap muggle dress of deep moss colored satin. It was a gift.  
  
Harry was not sure who it was for, but he knew that this was going to be the year he'd meet someone beautiful enough to give the lovely gown to. This was going to be the year he'd have the most wonderful, beautifully dressed female on his arm at the Halloween Festival. In fact, he'd been putting a third of his salary aside for the entire summer to pay for it. He knew he did not have to worry about size, because Bene dresses were made of magi- stretch a fabric that instantly fit the wearer in the most flattering way.  
  
He paid for the dress, and hugged the manager, who he'd become good friends with over the summer, goodbye and trailed away with his purchase. Diagon Alley was warm because August was not yet over. He saw many of the bookshops had sold out of texts and supplies. Harry had reserved all of his own things the minute his letter had arrived, and everything was packed in his trunk at his apartment. This year, he was sharing an apartment with Hermione, Ron and Lavendar Brown. In fact, Lavendar had become quite a member of their group when she'd broken her ankle and only Harry, Herm and Ron had even offered her any help through the school buildings. The four had paid for the apartment, which was in a new area of Diagon Alley, with their separate summer jobs. Ron worked at a teen club called Morose, and both Lavendar and Hermione worked in a teashop. Harry had been stuck at Bene, but it had been the best paying of all the jobs. As he walked through the lingering passerby, Harry mentally reviewed his finances. He had saved a third of his salary for his future, and the final third had covered his share of the apartment and expenses. When he reached Magickal Teas and Fruits, he stepped in.  
  
Harry was shocked to see both girls flirting ridiculously with a guy a little older than himself. The boy had black hair, which was perfectly straight and sat messily on his tan skin. He had gray-blue eyes, and Harry swore he recognized the boy. He did recognize the boy. He was Caspian Morose and he was the son of Matthias Morose who owned the nightclub Morose. Harry was about to stroll over and embarrass his friends when he noticed a third girl. The most beautiful of the three females perched at the small bistro table.  
  
She resembled Harry slightly, but only because she had incredibly long black hair the same shade as his, and deep green eyes. She had no scar, but she did have eyelashes that seemed to sweep everyone else out of Harry's view. She was contemplating a small flower, and when Harry looked closer he saw that it was a black elf rose. Elf roses are like orchids, but deep red or black and so rare Harry could hardly imagine why she was playing with it. She was like a veela, but deeper than that. Harry felt connected to this girl immediately. He was frozen where he was simply by looking at her.  
  
When Harry awoke from his trance he was shocked to see they were all looking at him.  
  
"You tranced out Harry. What happened?" Questioned Hermione, and he could see that Lavendar did not have a clue what to say.  
  
"You are Harry Potter, " the other girl said, her accent deep, possibly Spanish and definitely not British. "I know about you. I am Belynn Morose. This is my brother Caspian." She came close, "I am sorry Harry Potter, I am being rude. Are you okay? You looked scared for a moment."  
  
"Oh I'm fine, thanks. Nice to meet you, Belynn. Where are you from?" Harry asked, sitting with the four adolescents. He suddenly didn't feel the need to greet his friends.  
  
"Well, to be exact, I am from Madrid, but I have lived in Greece all of my life. My father owns a nightclub here, and when I toured Hogwarts over the summer, I wanted to attend. Father is letting me transfer from Madrid Academy." She gestured animatedly, as if not used to using English yet.  
  
"Well, wonderful. Hello Caspian," Harry said, shaking the guy's hand, "hi Herm, hey Lavendar." He was coming to his senses again. "So will Caspian be attending Hogwarts with us? Are you seventh year?"  
  
"Caspian will be at Hogwarts, but he is not a student. He's twenty years old and will be an intern for DADA. I am a seventh year though." The girl seemed acutely aware of Harry's grasp on her every word.  
  
"Excellent. So are we. I hope you are a Gryffindor, Herm, Le, Ron and I are." He looked at the two girls and they nodded excitedly, finishing their teas. "Would you like to walk with me to meet my friend Ron? He works…"  
  
"At my father's night club. Of course I will join you. I could use a bit of fresh air anyway. Caspian will escort your friends to your apartment." She seemed to have the airiest control over life, as trait Harry could not help but admire and even envy.  
  
"Well, lets go then." He stood and began to leave, offering a wave to the boisterous group.  
  
He hardly heard chorus of goodbyes and catcalls that followed he and Belynn out of the tea shop door. 


	2. Belynn, Chinese, and Ron

II: Ron, Chinese Food and Belynn  
  
Morose was a large, dark club with a very small door. From the outside, it appeared to be one of the shops that sold the less cheerful magical ingredients. Inside, it was a mecca of style, grace and shimmering music. Each wall was made of mirror that reflected all of the dancers in shadows. The ceiling was overgrown with plants, mostly nightshade and bleeding heart. A dance floor made of dwarves oak and carpeted with midnight blue and blood red silks twirled on it's own. In the center of the dance hall, Ron Weasely was bent over one of a half dozen small tables.  
  
"Ron? Are you ready to go?" Harry asked, pulling Belynn toward his friend.  
  
"Hello Ronald Weasely, I am Belynn –" came Belynn's Spanish-Greek accent.  
  
"Morose! Of course I know you! Your father owns this place. Matthias and my father go way back… Hello Harry." Ron had grown a bit over the summer, and was now far taller than Hermione and Lavendar. He had three or four inches on Harry.  
  
"Ahh, yes. Arthur Weasely, my father did mention him a few times. I believe he helped my father with some vanishing silk for a club in Madrid?" though Belynn phrased this as a question, it was idle conversation and required no answer.  
  
"Well, so glad you two have met. We should go meet the girls. I'm starved." Harry felt awkward speaking with Belynn as if she were a mere friend.  
  
"Anyone want Chinese?" Ron asked. He was fishing a shrunken menu from his back pocket. "Erm, if I have a menu."  
  
The three agreed and soon they were headed out of the club and onto the dimming pathways of Diagon Alley, Ron magically ordering a variety of dumpling and rice specials for the six of them.  
  
They were nearly to the tiny apartment when anyone spoke again. "So tell me, Harry Potter, are you good with spells? Do you know Draco Malfoy?" Harry's heart stung when he heard the name. Belynn hugged the word with her teeth as if dying to meet the fellow.  
  
In actuality, Draco Malfoy was an evil git who had pestered Harry, Ron and Hermione for seven years. For the last three, he'd been particularly odd near Hermione, acting as if the air she breathed harbor insipid bacteria.  
  
"Well, ummm, I do okay. I think I'm going to be head boy this year though. And err,"  
  
"I see you do not want to speak of Draco. I only know his name through his father. Lucius Malfoy is a good friend of my mother. I only hoped that I would not seem so foreign if I knew a name from Hogwarts. I suppose he is a foe of yours?"  
  
Harry and Ron looked blank. They did not know how to tell this foreign girl just how awful Draco Malfoy was. They'd seen him hundreds of times this summer, as he liked to spend much time promenading around Diagon Alley with his current girlfriend.  
  
"Well, we wouldn't want to insult a family friend. Draco just likes to hang out with Slytherins a bit more than we do. We're Gryffindors." Ron saved the day. After eight weeks of dealing with sly adolescent wizards who spent every night of the week trying to meet the most scantily-robed witches, his charm and smoothness had been quite developed. Ron had a way with words that made even Harry, famous for his clean-cut manner, jealous.  
  
"Ahh, I see. Gryffindors? Brave of heart? I suppose I shall learn this year. Which hall do you imagine I will be placed in?" Belynn's black hair was wrapped around one of her delicate hands.  
  
"Well, the prettiest girls are Ravenclaw's and Gryffindor's, so I'm sure you'll be one of them." Harry said, a clearl attempt to outdo Ron's comments.  
  
"So the sorting hat can see, can 'e?" Belynn said, her accent increasing with her embarrassing flush.  
  
"Well, maybe. Or maybe you are just beautiful and smart and brave." Ron said.  
  
"Thank you Ronald."  
  
Belynn's gracious reply cam with a little tug on Harry's arm, but Harry was too engrossed in a strategic kick at Ronald's left shin to really pay attention.  
  
"Thanks Ron," he mumbled under his breath. 


	3. Head & Heart

Standard Disclaimer: I own only the stuff that J.K. Rowling obviously doesn't (check the books for reference).  
  
III: Head & Heart  
  
"This is our last year together, isn't it?" Ron muttered. It wasn't a question. Everyone knew the sad truth. It was very likely they would end up at separate Wizarding Colleges.  
  
"Stop being silly Ronald, we have an entire year and then—" Hermione twanged.  
  
"Can we stop wiz zis' topic? I have hardly gotten to know you all! You are making me very upset."  
  
Harry saw his chance. He'd never really rescued a girl, except for Hermione a couple of times. He saw that changing the topic would be perfect.  
  
"Anybody hungry?" He said, pulling out a bag of Bott's Every Flavors. They were a few months old, since the candy had been retired, however, still edible due to Everfresh technology.  
  
Everyone liked the idea. Harry, Belynn (affectionately Bea), Ron, Lavendar and Hermione were finishing off the large package when Caspian Morose entered the room.  
  
"Hi." He looked around.  
  
"Hey Caspian." Only Hermione greeted him. At twenty, he was something of an anachronism in the small group. They were still struggling through schooling, he'd finished his and was interning at Hogwarts for a few years in order to earn a teaching license. Communing with him was only slightly less insulting than with teachers.  
  
"I just met with your, uhh, co-head Mione. I think we ought have a meeting too. I'd like to have discussion with you too." His blackish hair was loose, and it was obvious his greenish eyes were focused right on Hermione's gold ones.  
  
"Sure. Do you have a private cabin?" Leave it to Hermione to be practical in all things.  
  
"You and Draco do. Here is the folder of activities I want to discuss." Caspian slipped a Gryffindor red folder into Hermione's delicate hand.  
  
"Okay, then I assume we're set. Let's go."  
  
"After you."  
  
No sooner had they disappeared, the entire car shuttered in a waterfall of laughter. Even Ron forgot his 'cool' and cracked up, arms around Harry and Lavendar.  
  
"What was that about?" Asked Harry, giving voice to the giggles.  
  
Belynn chuckled too. But the more she thought, the more she worried. The heart she did not have told her she had to save innocent, brilliant Hermione from her brother. The head she was programmed to follow sent a very different message.  
  
"I'm sorry," she murmured under her curtain of hair, "I am so sorry Hermi- oo-knee." 


	4. In Which We Learn of Magical Abilities

Disclaimer: This is fan fiction cause you use someone else's stuff to make your own story line. These things are mostly J.K. Rowling's, with a few additions from me.  
  
Hey, sorry about the short chapter last time, I wanted everyone to know I'm starting this up again.  
  
IV. In Which We Learn Of Magical Abilities  
  
"You're not being careful, sister darling." Caspian Morose was no longer a muttering idiot. His words were acid.  
  
"As if you are? That Granger girl? At least Arry' is pureblood."  
  
"He is your target."  
  
"I hate you."  
  
"No you don't," and he grabbed her arm, "you hate father."  
  
"I do not hate father. I hate Lucius."  
  
"Are you really that infantile? You of all people know your past and future."  
  
"You turn into him every day."  
  
"I am only protecting the orb, damn you."  
  
"This, this has nothing to do with de' orb."  
  
"Silly, silly, silly." And he conjured a puff of purple smoke, which he swirled through her hair. "Silly little child. The Orb has only one purpose."  
  
"I hate the Orb."  
  
"Without it, you would hardly exist."  
  
"Perhaps the Orb would not exist without me."  
  
"Do I need to repeat your instructions?"  
  
"Matthias briefed me."  
  
"Matthias is only intelligent when it comes to clubs and parties. He knows nothing. It is why he is your father, and mine. It is why Lucius chose him."  
  
"So we could be raised by a man with less than an eighth of our intelligence?"  
  
"No, because he needed someone catatonic enough to be malleable. And so far, Matthias has been perfect." Since Caspian was lying on the dark ground, stretched and taut, he could not see the scathing glances his sister awarded his statements with. "And now, he expects you to have been influenced by Matthias. To Lucius, you are a woman and not a boy for one reason: you should feel subservient and obedient. You should be doing his bidding, caring for the Orb, as he has requested. If you haven't realized, you have no control over your brain."  
  
"Of course I do." She said this with petulance, as she knew she didn't.  
  
"No, not at all. You control what you do with those thoughts, which is the only reason the Potter child isn't a mangled pulp. But you love him, and so you fight the murderlust. Lets see how long you survive with Lucius at the controls."  
  
"You favor him."  
  
"I understand him."  
  
"Then you are worse." She blew into the air a green cloud appeared. She stepped onto it, and charmed it to carry her to Gryffindor Common Room. As she swept into the grayish skies, she swore she heard an extremely faint "Maybe." 


	5. 7 Viewpoints on Tragedy

Disclaimer: Hey, I know I only own the stuff Ms. Rowling doesn't, and so do you…  
  
V: Seven Viewpoints on Tragedy  
  
Lucius Malfoy was not a nice man. He wasn't even a decent man. He admitted to his many sins, faults, vices, and whatever other names you could give his nastiness. Which is exactly why he was pacing his bedroom.  
  
The master bedroom of the Malfoy's home was exactly perfect for Lucius. Narcissa had no stake in the place; any input from her had been undone. She had a smaller boudoir of her own and besides, Lucius did not like to share. He'd equipped it with MagiVision, which allowed him to "tune in" to whoever's life he programmed into the network. He spent a good deal of time watching his enemies, and even glanced in on little Draco once in a while. Today, he watched Belynn Morose.  
  
He'd created the girl. She was a perfect spell, the culmination of careful magic for centuries. On his seventeenth birthday, four days before he'd graduated Hogwarts, he'd conjured her into existence. He now resented his choice.  
  
He hated the way she flirted and swung the shiny black hair in the Potter child's face. She should not be tossing he hair at anyone, except maybe Draco. Maybe. Matthias, his own brother, had not trained her. He was a stupid man, and lacking all of the Malfoy traits. Of course, his name was Morose, it was necessary that the fraternity of the two men never be discovered, still, a Malfoy by any other name ought maintain the stature of one.  
  
She was ruining his plan. That Potter child had to go, he had to leave Hogwarts, and possibly the world, forever. He was quite afraid he'd just lost his best ally.  
  
***  
  
Caspian Morose brushed his hair and glanced into the painfully small mirror of his painfully small quarters. Interns, it had been revealed, were not particularly valuable. Or at least, the school did not intend on wasting on luxury for them.  
  
The room was stone, with a slightly rough gray carpet. His bed was comfortable, but only a twin size. He had warm comforters, and a window, but even with it open, the ventilation was not strong. He could tell that by summer it would stink from the tiny everglade Hagrid was setting up in the Forbidden Forest.  
  
This was another thing Caspian was worried about. All of the Interns Rooms (there were five) were at the closest point to the Forest. Shouldn't these rooms be kept protected, with guards, he mused?  
  
But he must not think about the unsatisfactory room. He must concentrate on his sister. If he was to be allowed to keep the Granger girl as his own, he would have to encourage her to complete her task. Bea must not fall off the wagon; she must do as she was told. In short, she must please Matthias and Lucius so that Caspian would not have to.  
  
Sighing, he slipped through the smallish door. Perhaps Hermione would like to meet him in the library. What a day dream, for at Hogwarts, student- teacher/intern relationships were against the rules. A rendezvous would wait until night when they could meet in silence and secret.  
  
***  
  
Belynn liked to sit and wait for things. She did not take to doing them, except when it came to attracting Harry Potter.  
  
In her experience, doing things only led to the inadvertent following of Lucius or Matthias. She knew, mostly from watching others, that the good people had control over their minds, not just their bodies. She did not have the luxury, and she had to struggle to avoid becoming evil. It is like fighting my genetics, she muttered. Nearly impossible.  
  
And then she started to laugh and laugh and laugh. I am a figment. I have no brain or heart or body or anything, and I have no genes. I am a piece of magic, a charm, a spell. I am not anything.  
  
And she was very lucky no one but a small, small, mouse heard her.  
  
  
  
***  
  
Gryffindor was positively teeming with new female sixth years. Ronald Weasely felt this was the perfect opportunity to help some girls out. Okay, perhaps he felt it was the perfect opportunity to ask some girls out. He glanced through the crowd until he found a head of glossy black hair.  
  
He followed it, suspecting Belynn. Perhaps she could introduce him to someone so he would not seem remotely cad like. But the girl was not Harry's pretty girlfriend.  
  
Not that she wasn't pretty. Hair cut to just below her shapely chin, deep eyes like almonds dipped in bittersweet chocolate. Small features. She was beautiful.  
  
"Hello, I'm Ron."  
  
"Oh, hi!"  
  
"If you don't mind, what's your name?"  
  
"Mimi Olu. I thought you'd know."  
  
"Cute title. So why'd you think I'd know?"  
  
"The list was posted early this morning. My school closed, so all of the sixth years are attending Hogwarts. You're my guide, aren't you?"  
  
This was when Ron wanted to smack himself repeatedly. Of course he was her guide. Mimi Olu, new student. He had to do service this year, which included 48 hours teaching a new girl the ropes of Hogwarts. What an excellent impression he was making.  
  
"Oh, actually, I overslept this morning. I haven't seen the list. I came over here by chance, you looked lonely."  
  
"With five people crowded about me?"  
  
"Oh, I am so sorry. I didn't see one of them."  
  
"Right. Well, where does the tour begin?"  
  
"How does breakfast sound?" Ron was warming up. He could feel like himself again. He was not going to screw this up by being a bumbling baby.  
  
"Enchanting." She slipped her hand, framed in a rope of silver, around his. "Don't let me get lost."  
  
"I would never." He sensed he truly wouldn't.  
  
***  
  
Harry fussed with his Transfigurations homework. Turn a light bulb into the largest replication of the sun you can manage. Devise a way to prevent it from burning or melting anything. Points off for burns, extra points to your hall for no burns.  
  
He had decided a on a sun approximately four feet in diameter, enough to please McGonagall, and had conjured a heat resistant grace box, which had put his light bulb in. Now he focused on changing it.  
  
At least he pretended to focus. Itching at the back of his mind was Belynn. She had said she liked him, but still, she was preoccupied near him. When they held hands, he had the oddest feeling he worried her. Now, he worried about her.  
  
Still, he did not pressure her for answers about her anxiety. If she wanted to tell him, she would. His last wish was to embarrass her.  
  
He sighed once more. He had to do this project. Then maybe he'd be able to do something about Belynn. He truly hoped so. He loved her.  
  
  
  
***  
  
"Albus?"  
  
"Uhh, yes, hello Severus."  
  
"I see you are not at all happy to see me."  
  
"Severus, that is not the case. I am simply tired. Over worked with all the extra students."  
  
"I just wanted to be sure you understood the difficulties that could occur here."  
  
"What on earth are you talking about?"  
  
"Well, I'm sure you've noticed a lot of, chemistry. Outside of my class, of course."  
  
"If you're talking about Caspian and Ms. Granger, I assure you there is nothing to be worried about."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"The Granger girl is perfectly trustworthy."  
  
"Very well. If you choose to allow that to occur, at least consider the problem of Belynn Morose and Harry Potter."  
  
"Capital idea! Are you an absolute fool or are you just jesting for fun? Shall we limit Potter's rights and not those of any other student?"  
  
"I don't want to see him aligned with those on the Slytherin side of things."  
  
"Ms. Morose is certainly a student in Gryffindor."  
  
"Ahh, professor. So you think."  
  
"Are you going now, Severus?" muttered Dumbledore as he tucked his head back into his arm, "if you are, would you mind checking on Fawkes for me?"  
  
The door shut. Snape made no effort to answer.  
  
***  
  
It was nighttime. This was excellent for Hermione Granger. Her skin nearly tingled. She could finally speak with Caspian. During the day, the two did not even look at each other, for they feared suspect from a teacher.  
  
She slid out of her room. Belynn had seemed so worried about her. Perhaps she should have left a note. She was too far from the room to go back. A ghost would catch her.  
  
Instead, she poked the fourth stone to the left of a portrait of herself. Dumbledore had put it up as a josh to her, after she won the Aristmagicratic Award for Magickal Excellence. The stone vanished a vacuum sucked her in. Once inside the tiny chamber, she could see every star, every crater on the moon, anything she wanted to. She had designed it herself, a mini-universe all her own. Caspian was not there. Instead, a note:  
  
Hermione: I had to go to a meeting with the other interns. Snape suspects us anyway. Check your room for Magivision boxes, I fear someone has been watching and alerting him. I will have breakfast with you tommorow, at nine, under the pretense of academic counsel. I miss you like mad.  
  
Love,  
  
Caspian Morose  
  
She was truly touched, and yet incredibly worried. She had allowed Belynn to share a room with her, since her Head Girl quarters were large and lonely. Nobody had any reasons to film her. Perhaps they were interested in the goings-on of Bea? Certainly there was something strange about the girl.  
  
Hermione was too tired an depressed to think of it. She blinked back to her room and slept, tucked under a velvet comforter, awaiting an excellent breakfast.  
  
  
  
Comments: Wow, that was seven. Tell me how you feel about all of their responses…and if you need more clues. You must review. 


	6. Why He Was Afraid of Shadows

Disclaimer: Okay, I am taking this totally seriously. Ms. Rowling is an awesome writer, and someday, I wanna be like her, except writing for adolescents (who read HP anyway). But that's in the future, and I live NOW, so obv. I'm borrowing her characters for my plot.  
  
VIII: Why He Avoided Shadows  
  
A month passed at Hogwarts. It seemed someone had sprinkled Felicia's Magickal Faerie Dust over the school and improved things. Of course everyone had secrets, though these were well known by nearly the entire faculty and student body. Grades were at an all time high, and Dumbledore began to examine his food to see if the house elves were adding some magical ingredient.  
  
But not everything was quite so beautiful and perfect as one would assume.  
  
"Well, Bea honey, I asked you here for a reason."  
  
"Yes Harry?"  
  
"Well, I uh, love you." Harry's heartbeat ran higher than ever. He had never, ever told anyone he loved him or her, except his parents in his deepest, most private dreams.  
  
"Oh Harry."  
  
"Well, yes, that's all. Let's go to dinner." Given her response, he did not assume things had gone swimmingly.  
  
"I do too."  
  
"You do?"  
  
"Yes, I do. But I'm not allowed."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Harry, I have to tell you a long story."  
  
"Am I going to like this?"  
  
"I don't think so."  
  
"What is it?"  
  
She inhaled and tried to regain confidence.  
  
"Don't say a word. Let me talk."  
  
"Mmmmhhmmm."  
  
"I'm not like you. I don't mean I'm not a pureblood. I mean I have no blood. I'm well, a Figment." She sat down and looked into the air in front of them.  
  
"Wha—"  
  
"You said I could speak. Okay, well, I'm not really a witch; rather, I'm the product of a spell. I was created to protect something. In essence, I'm a hand made assassin."  
  
"Of who?"  
  
"Anyone that threatens the Orb. You."  
  
"You have to kill me."  
  
"Yes and no Harry. Lucius Malfoy created me. He controls my mind but not my body. I can fight his presence in my head. He doesn't have time to be there all the time."  
  
"Have you be trying to seduce me for his purposes?"  
  
"Harry, no!"  
  
"Bea?"  
  
"Harry, I swear I love you. I've been working really hard. He can barely touch my thoughts."  
  
"So I'm in love with a shadow."  
  
"Just about."  
  
"Does the shadow love me back?"  
  
"Incredibly so."  
  
***  
  
Draco Malfoy slipped into Hermione Granger's Head Girl Suite. It wasn't difficult. His cousin Caspian had given him magical locks pick for Christmas and her room was only the next one over from his. It was dark, but he could see how classily the décor has been arranged. Obviously two girls were living there; the canopy beds met at the headboards and were arranged at an angle so that the footboards were quite apart. In between, a small glass table was laden with magazines and books. The walls were obviously painted bright colors, and the windows had been curtained in velvet and silk.  
  
"Nice taste." He muttered. He was looking for something incriminating about Hermione and Caspian. Old Caspy had annoyed him in the last few weeks, mainly by mingling with the mudblood. He looked around and ended up in the private en suite bathroom. And then he saw a blinding flash of light.  
  
Light in a huge round ball, that was concentrated like a lamp, and floated unsupported in the darkness. He knew what it was. Father definitely wouldn't want his prized Orb in a mudblood's bathroom. Draco would let them find it there. Yes, he would, and when they did, Ms. Granger would be the premier thief  
  
***  
  
Mimi Olu carefully smeared eye gloss over her slim Asian eyelids. Ron was going to take her to Hogsmeade tonight. She knew he thought she was divine, now she would prove it to him. She adjusted her slim black trousers and pale green shirt with lace trim. Her black hair had a swishy quality, and long eyelashes framed glassy black eyes. She thought she should wear heels, but decided instead to wear her trusty four and a half inch slip on black clogs. This looked good, she knew. She looked just perfect.  
  
***  
  
Ron was worried. He was seven and a half minutes late for his dinner with Mimi. And Harry had burst in with some long story. Leave it to Harry to ruin tonight for him. He planned to ask Mimi to the Swan Soiree, which was in two months. But Harry didn't care. Instead, he mumbled incessantly about some assassin from Morellia he'd heard about from Malfoy.  
  
***  
  
"Something must have happened, Lucius."  
  
"The child is a figment, she has no mind of her own. So explain to me why seven minutes ago she decided to tell her victim who she was, and promised not to kill him."  
  
"Loophole, sir."  
  
"What? Are you saying I may lose my Orb because of some mistake on your part?"  
  
"No. I'm saying there is a loophole."  
  
"Explain this loophole. Now."  
  
"Emotion makes a wizard a wizard, or a witch a witch, or a human a human, or—"  
  
"Speedy version."  
  
"She fell in love. That made her real."  
  
"F*ck."  
  
"Please, sir."  
  
"Go away." 


	7. Figments

Disclaimer: Hey JK Rowling writes incredibly. Since my inferior works are based on hers, just given her some credit for the characters and settings, etc.  
  
VII: Figments  
  
Harry felt crazy. He'd nearly ruined Ron's wonderful night in Hogsmeade with Mimi Olu, and now he was crunched up in the Head Girl Suite listening to advice from Hermione. He'd have to be nuts to listen to her.  
  
"So she's a what?" He asked, ever more confused.  
  
"A Figment Harry, try to understand this."  
  
"What is a figment? She said she was just a spell, like one that conjures objects from smoke. Leprechaun's gold."  
  
"Pretty much. Figment is what you call it if it happens to a person. Or, rather, you make a person. Three witches perfected the art over four hundred years ago. They created a Figment to murder two mortals. Since then, Figments can only live lives of evil."  
  
"But you know Bea—"  
  
"And she's not evil. Which means whoever created her botched the job."  
  
"Like, a glitch in a computer system?"  
  
"Exactly."  
  
"So Bea can be saved."  
  
"From what I know about Figments Harry, she already is."  
  
"But she said?"  
  
"Read this." Hermione took an enormous green volume from her personal bookshelf and placed it heavily on Harry's outstretched, super long legs. A paragraph was magically highlighted.  
  
The Figment was mastered in the year 1602 by the witches Margerove Mango, Parlitia Pango and Gretal Grangera. Together they formed a being that could be transfigured from any particle, but acted like a human. As humans can never be recreated permanently from other substances, this was celebrated magic. However, it was quite cursed. The three witches used their new power for evil, and soon, only dark spells, which created evil Figments, existed. Worse, these spells created only female Figments, which gave women an evil reputation. Eventually, wizards began to create their own spells, and sometimes the results were not perfect. 90% of Figments have some defect. Most modern figments can revert to actual humanity under a set of condition: they were created from skin of their master and they recognize their own lack of humanity. Once this happens, and they reveal it to any GOOD human, a Figment becomes and actual breathing person. Often Figments do not realize this and endanger themselves.  
  
"I feel like I'm in Pinnochio, Hermione."  
  
"Oh Harry, you are. You know the truth now, and I warn you, Bea will be in danger because I know who she used to belong to."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Malfoy." 


	8. A Glance In the Wrong Direction

Disclaimer: Now here's the story from A-Z, Ms. Rowling wrote the original, but the fanfic belongs to me.  
  
VIII: Convergent Evolution  
  
Lucius Malfoy tapped his foot harshly on the stone floor of Hogwarts. His shoes were pointed a little bit, and they hurt quite a lot. This was no matter. Narcissa had picked them, and so they were in his opinion, ugly, frolicsome, childish shoes.  
  
Belynn Morose should arrive any minute, and he would take her home and destroy her. She had denied him, broken her contract, and destroyed her allegiances. She was nothing more than Harry Potter, an ever more filthy, because she did not have his blood on her slim, beautiful hands.  
  
He did the calling chant, o-me-ay o-me-ay ahnactet sandobtet ahnactet Belynn. She should be in his arms now, or at his feet begging to do whatever her pleased. But she was not. She was nowhere.  
  
Of course, upstairs, in Harry's bedroom was where she was. She had absolutely no idea that she was being called. In fact, she hadn't been called for forty-eight hours and this worried her. Usually Matthias or Lucius felt a need to call her services every hour or so. But she welcomed the break. Since she and Harry had told each other the truth, she had felt more in love with him than she ever had. Love was a feeling, and in feeling it, she felt alive. She felt like a human.  
  
Between them lay the Orb. Hermione and Caspian were also curled up on the large bed, and Ron, Mimi and Lavendar had scored seats amongst piles of carpeting. It was a rather cozy room in fun colors that Harry had asked Bea to design. It was cheerful.  
  
The Orb glowed a color like fire and ice together, so black even the night hid from it, so brilliant even the sun felt threatened.  
  
"What is it?" Asked Mimi, tossing a shiny black streak of hair behind narrow shoulders, which were quite muscular.  
  
"She cannot tell you, or she will die. But I can. It is—" Caspian started.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Well, if my sister were to break orders and tell you about the fabled Orb, she would self destruct to protect it. It is why she exists."  
  
"But she's real!" Exclaimed Harry, arms tight against her.  
  
"Maybe. But we can't ever be sure until the spell burns in a cauldron. Even if she's fake, she's better alive than sizzling in a cauldron."  
  
"Fine. Explain away." Hermione's tone was determined and loaded with acid focus.  
  
"It was created to turn anyone good into evil. It traps the spirit."  
  
"What?" Lavendar's dark eyes looked frightened.  
  
"All the good of a witch or wizard is held in his or her soul. The spirit. Evil is like a machine, like a virus. No personality. No love, no good. Nothing but an empty shell seeking to destroy. The spirit can be removed, and leaves that shell that will answer to any evil. It's how dementors work. Its, in essence, how Voldemort is able to take over so many people."  
  
"And the orb?"  
  
"One of about seven in creation. My sister, Belynn, is the protector for this one. The orb holds spirits captive, putting the shells under the control of the orb's creator. My father, Matthias Morose, helped Lucius make this."  
  
"What was it sent here to do?" Hermione had started frantically searching for a book.  
  
"Take Harry's soul."  
  
"No way!" Harry shot straight up.  
  
"Voldemort tried Harry, and it can't be done. But Lucius thinks his orb is the best of them all. Better than Voldemort's."  
  
"So he think he can get my spirit and…?"  
  
"Harry, don't be stupid! Give it to Voldemort. Earn favor, protection, whatever from the dark lord himself." Hermione sighed inwardly.  
  
"Oh my god." Said Ron.  
  
"Oh my goddess." Said Mimi.  
  
"What can I do?" Harry looked hard at the Orb, and the girl, or shadow, or whatever he had told he loved.  
  
"You must destroy the Orb and free the souls trapped within, of course. And escape both Matthias and Lucius. Then you'll be immune."  
  
"How do you know so much?"  
  
"I've protected this Orb as much, if not more, than Belynn has, my darlings. My father is not good at magic, but Lucius is. And if I am to live a good life, and a happy one, I must look to them as if I have always taken good care of their wishes. Maybe they will free me one day."  
  
"That's so sad." Hermione moaned, and gave him a soft kiss on the forehead.  
  
"awww" cooed Lavendar.  
  
Belynn looked up, as if awakening from a trance. "They generally call me all the time, and force me to do things. No one has called me since Wednesday. It's Friday now."  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Positive. Once they told me to poison Hermione, because she knew too much. But she's okay, I fought the order and survived and it was very painful. I'd be in seizures if they were ordering me around now and I wasn't listening."  
  
"And you're positive your order isn't to just listen to us?" Hermione had a quizzical frown on her face.  
  
"Positive. But I know something none of you do."  
  
"What?" The word seemed to come in unison, spilling from everyone's lips at once. They were all terribly sick of surprises. Terribly sick of sadness and upset and horrible happenings.  
  
"Lucius Malfoy is down stairs."  
  
"Oh my goddess," said Mimi in her barely there French accent. Though she felt a stranger to the tight knit group, she offered advice. "Hide Harry now. Bea, go and meet him. Caspian, you should go with Harry, and Hermione too, because you are the only one's who know anything about this stuff. Ron and I will back up Bea from behind the painting in the downstairs center hallway. Lavendar, stay here and wait for news from anyone. I'll send an instagram, everyone else should do the same. Oh, and don't let anyone in."  
  
"I never knew you were so awesome, Mi!" Ron said in obvious awe.  
  
"Silly, you know I want to be a detective for the Ministry."  
  
"You will be. Let's get this plot going."  
  
"Wait a sec," Lavendar called as everyone headed out the door, creeping. Harry, Caspian and Mione already held an invisibility cloak in their fists, "what if he apparates in here? I have no protection."  
  
It was as if Hermione's brain had infected everyone. "You can't just apparate in Hogwarts!" They all turned around and impatiently zoomed away, leaving Lavendar in a dark, forbidding room. No one heard her cry, except Matthias, who watched the dark haired adolescent weep on Magivision. 


	9. Slightly Cruel Results: Part I (guarante...

Disclaimer: This WHOLE fanfic is based on stuff by J.K. Rowling. She owns the Harry Potter and all– remember that!  
  
IX: Slightly Cruel Results  
  
Harry, Caspian and Hermione were tucked in the safest place they could ever imagine. Dumbledore's closet.  
  
It was small, wooden wardrobe, lined with steel, with two sturdy locks on the outside and one inside. Everyone wondered why Dumbledore possessed such a safe armoire, but he simply muttered something about his "good" robes and everyone getting inside and being quiet. He told the three teenagers he was putting a spell on the armoire and not to try to leave it. He told them they were safe, he would never let any harm come to a student, and he was there to protect them as long as they shut up.  
  
Being adolescents, the last part was not entirely respected, but Dumbledore accepted it. He could barely hear them, and he knew Lucius would be bumbling a screaming the minute he came in, so the kids would know when to quiet themselves.  
  
For extra protection, Harry crawled into what he expected was an invisibility cloak. It was, and he felt infinitely secure. The other two, Caspian and Hermione, wrapped around eachother and sat, shivering, in the nervous closet. Harry did illuminate his wand for a dose of light, but it was not extremely helpful. He shut it off, and despite his fears, was able to fall asleep from exhaustion.  
  
Alone, Caspian and Hermione murmured softly to each other.  
  
"Beautiful, beautiful, what has become of me? I have defied my father. He will never let me have you as…"  
  
"Your wife?" Hermione was terrified the minute she let the words slip. What on earth would she do? She had probably scared the boy she loved away!  
  
"Well, yes." He kissed her cheek checked to make sure Harry was asleep, and kissed her lips.  
  
"I love you Caspian. Matthias and Lucius cannot change that."  
  
"You don't understand them. They are powerful. Lucius can do almost anything – and Matthias is like a slave to him. Malfoys and Moroses – it is blood. They will make me one of them as that silly boy in your class is."  
  
"You will never be like Draco. You are like…like a river of words in a book. Wonderful."  
  
He chuckled inwardly. His intelligent goddess. Like Athena mixed up in Aphrodite. "I will do anything to escape that fate, for you."  
  
"This is love."  
  
"It is."  
  
The night seemed to beckon them, tell them they could now sleep and be secure, because if they loved each other, a Malfoy would never be able to hurt them. Soon all three young people were asleep, spread out over the bottom of the closet, each wrapped in a separate of Dumbledore's cloaks.  
  
In the mean time, Ron and Mimi were trapped behind the painting of a large daffodil in the front hall. They had dressed themselves in black, and created a small alcove in the wall to fit themselves. Ron's wand had been illuminated, but when they attracted the attention of Peeves, they quickly turned it out. All they needed was to ruin their chances of survival by attracting a ghost. Luckily, Peeves didn't like Lucius very much.  
  
Their conversation had quickly turned to the future.  
  
"Mimi, what are you doing after Hogwarts?"  
  
"My wizarding degree at Drazin."  
  
"Drazin?"  
  
"It's an elite wizarding college in Scotland. I cannot wait. They've accepted me already, for a major in magical forensics and detective work."  
  
"Brilliant."  
  
"What about you Ron?"  
  
"I was planning to go to Badrian with Harry. Loonger accepted me though, and none of my brothers got in there. Maybe I'll go."  
  
"Isn't Badrian the better school?"  
  
"Maybe, but everyone in my family tried for Loonger, and they're brilliant, but they all got wait-listed. I don't know how I go in."  
  
"Bet you're an excellent standardized spell taker."  
  
"Maybe."  
  
"Ron, you self-esteem-lacking fool, you are absolutely amazing."  
  
Ron was a little dumbfounded. "Really?"  
  
"Yea."  
  
As far as Lucius and Matthias, it seemed few people in the castle were focusing. 


	10. Unreasonable (the events that will proba...

Declaimer: Frankly Reader, I don't give a damn if you know it, but J.K. Rowling owns all things HP (and that is NOT Hewlett Packard).  
  
X: Unreasonable  
  
"Belynn, my doll, come to me. I forgive you for being late. You are here, that is all that matters."  
  
Belynn was tempted to shout, stay away you disgusting man. She had never really liked her owner; it was simply implanted on her brain that she must follow him. Now that she had her own mind, she realized how much she disliked the evil that emanated from his olive toned flesh. It calmed her to see that she really was good. Instead she acted coy and enslaved. "Of course, master Malfoy. What brings you here?"  
  
This seemed to anger him.  
  
"You absolute b*tch! You should be out of here by now. I have a million things to do. Harry should already be in the Orb! The year is half over. What in hell do you think you are doing?"  
  
"I am sorry, my master, it is taking time."  
  
"Why? People are telling me you have become real. Shall I believe these things? Or are you just ignoring my orders, flitting weeks of my time away kissing that horrid child?" Lucius's face had become twisted and angry, his shouting swelled the room. He nearly made Belynn cry.  
  
"I am a Figment. Always, you know it. I could not escape it. I simply cannot trap Harry until I find his spirit, and so far, I have been completely unable to do so. The boy is impermeable to evil."  
  
Belynn was in fact telling the truth. Though she had not tried to steel his soul at all, she had examined Harry seven thousand million times, and she new the inner workings of his spirit. He really was perfectly pure and safe. Voldemort would never own the boy, just as he had never owned Lily and James.  
  
"Then make him permeable to evil, or I will boil you."  
  
"Boil me?"  
  
"Have you forgotten the stipulations of your very existence? Your spell exists only as a piece of paper. If I should choose to, I could simply place the paper in a cauldron and boil it. You would feel it. And you would disappear. Dissipated steam." Malfoy looked quite interested in his own suggestion. Belynn was quite fearful. But then she remembered. He cannot destroy me if I am no a Figment, and I most certainly am not.  
  
"I will do as you ask, master. Have you other business?"  
  
"With Potter!"  
  
"Good sir, I do not know where he is." Belynn spoke only in formal tongue with Malfoy, trying to roughly imitate the slave girl who had spoken the way that pleased Lucius. She was not that girl. That was the most important of all.  
  
"Luckily, Dummbledore is not as stupid as you and my wife and other women about, and should be able to help me. Poor Dumbledore has no clue what evil is. Isn't that wonderful?"  
  
"Simply divine." Belynn sighed inwardly. The act was interfering with her current moral standing.  
  
Mimi and Ron had heard every word. They did not know whether to be thrilled by and Academy Award winning performance or absolutely terrified. Was Belynn, enchantress, retired Figment, Harry's girlfriend, telling the truth? 


	11. French Twist (no cruelness included, jus...

Disclaimer: Okay, okay, okay already. I know JK Rowling is like, Queen of HP, and in this fanfic, I am only adding imperfections to her master works. I hope she forgives me.  
  
XI: French Twist  
  
Mimi Olu, seventeen, almost perfect (almost!) and with an extreme desire to be the heroine here. She was slightly sick of being the extra in the close knit group that Hermione, Ron and Harry had created. Belynn had slipped seamlessly into the foursome, and while Caspian did not need to be in because he was a teacher, it seemed Hermione had pushed him in.  
  
Ron loved her, and that was good. But she had pretty much lost touch with her former friends, except for Kati, who she still ate with half the time and shared notes and stories with. Kati was very quiet, and though bright, had never shown an extreme gift for magic. She could transfigure a teapot to a puppy, but that was the extent of her abilities. McGonagall accepted it – a lot of witches and wizards out there were not as perceptive as Mimi and Hermione, and chuckle, even Ron and Harry. At times it seemed even Malfoy had more of a gift.  
  
She knew that she could cement the deal with a victory for the team.  
  
That was her goal for the day.  
  
She had been swimming all her life. She loved the mortal sport, the slick of water on her skin and the sheer power it took her to propel her slim body through the pool.  
  
This would be like swimming a relay.  
  
She grabbed Ron's arm. We must reverse the Orb, she thought. "Ron, honey, I have an idea."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yup."  
  
"We're going to the Malfoy residence. In fact, I think we may rescue everyone."  
  
"Whaa—aa—t?" Ron asked. She liked very much to see him responding to her genius like this. She knew he was very very bright, especially since he'd earned acceptance at Loonger, one of the best colleges of the country, as well as Badrian. Still, it didn't seem he knew her strengths. Whether or not she had been hiding them, she wasn't now.  
  
"I'll explain on the way. Get your broom."  
  
Her plan was to fly off of Hogwarts property, then apparate to Malfoy Manor. There, where Narcissa would likely be sleeping (well, hopefully), she would procure two very important things. The licenses and paper spells for both the Orb and Belynn.  
  
Ron was back with his broom in two seconds, or what seemed so. The broom was not very old at all, because Harry had bought it for him as a gift when he earned an award for excellence in apparating.  
  
He hopped on and pulled Mimi on as well, and they rode off, her black hair flying into his, his tall, pale figure juxtaposed beautifully against her petite one.  
  
Then night was blessed by their presence.  
  
The ride off of Hogwarts territory seemed to take days, but they made it. When they landed, Ron was dozing. It was past one in the morning. Mimi tapped him awake. "Come on, you need to be awake to apparate, silly!"  
  
"Ohh, yea. I was awake the whole time." He fibbed teasingly.  
  
"No time for teasing. Up-up-up."  
  
"Sure." They held hands, closed eyes, and focused very intensely on Malfoy Manor.  
  
They were not at all prepared for what they found when they got there.  
  
Malfoy manor was decorated for a party. A ghoulish, nasty party.  
  
"No wonder Malfoy was so peaked! He was missing Evil Night."  
  
"Astute." Ron answered, using one of his trademark 'smooth' accent.  
  
"If it is Evil Night, there must be some of Voldemort's thugs in there, signing contracts. Maybe…"  
  
"Malfoy wanted to offer someone Harry." Ron finished her sentence, but tonight it wasn't romantic, it was purely functional.  
  
"And he can't. That's really good."  
  
"True, but Belynn was taking him to get Harry. If they trap her, or him, in the Orb…"  
  
The light seemed to dim and brighten at various times, punctuating the despair.  
  
"Mimi, if Malfoy gets back here before midnight tonight with an orb full of Harry's soul, we will be losing the GREATEST wizard I have ever known except for Dumbledore. We need to save him. He's Harry Potter."  
  
"Well, duh."  
  
"Let's do this."  
  
"We need a plan."  
  
They did. And they sat behind a tree, making a plan as quickly as they could. Because in 23 hours, Harry Potter and Belynn Morose were dead. And nobody was going to let that happen. 


End file.
